27,000 people showed up for Bernie Sanders' big New York City rally — here's a look at what happened

Thousands of people gathered in Washington Square Park for a momentous rally held by the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

The rally was one of the Vermont senator's largest to date, drawing a crowd of 27,000 people, according to the campaign.

It came ahead of next Tuesday's primary in New York, a state that has turned into one of outsize importance for Sanders in his primary challenge to frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

Celebrities such as Spike Lee, Rosario Dawson, Linda Sarsour, Shailene Woodley, Tim Robbins, and Vampire Weekend were also a part of the rally, performing and speaking before Sanders made his own speech.

We went to the rally to see the large crowds and to talk with some Sanders supporters. The atmosphere was certainly filled with excitement. Below, see images from the crowd that took over Washington Square Park and the blocks surrounding it.

Doors opened for the rally at 5 p.m. ET, but people were lining up outside by 1 p.m. This was right at the intersection of Thompson and West 3rd Street.

Hillary Clinton, Sanders' Democratic rival and the party's frontrunner, held a rally at the same time in New York City in the Bronx.

The atmosphere at the Sanders rally was happy. People were hugging each other and yelling out "I love you" as complete strangers walked by them.

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This man, whose stage name is Special Head (his real name is Danny Wolverton), decided to put on a very realistic mask and hold a sign reading "Jesus loves guns" for a political satire show.

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"Since so many people are getting punched at Donald Trump rallies, I wanted to see what would happen to a Sanders protester who showed up to a Sanders rally." Wolverton told Business Insider. He said he wanted to see "how aggressive people would be and if they would show me love and kindness, or if I would get punched."

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Nobody yelled at him, nobody punched him — everyone stood around and listened, while laughing at the absurd things he was saying.

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"I'm here because it might be one of the only times I get to see my hero, Bernie Sanders," said Danielle Caruso, a supporter. "I would be extremely upset if it came down to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but I'm not going to let Trump win."

Danielle Caruso holds up her sign to support Sanders.
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Although a majority of the crowd seemed to be younger voters, people of all ages flocked to support Sanders.

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Brian Geraghty, pictured below, wore a Sanders onesie to support his favorite candidate.

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"I wanted to take my girlfriend to her first rally, and she bought me this ridiculously awesome onesie as a present because I'm so pro-Bernie," Geraghty said. "[Sanders] is probably the closest candidate that I've seen to Franklin D. Roosevelt, at least that I've had the chance to vote for in my lifetime."

Brian Geraghty and his girlfriend, Brittany.
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The atmosphere was full of smiles.

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Strangers talked and bonded over their support.

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Sanders pins and signs were everywhere.

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The rally took place right next to the New York University campus and filled all the blocks around it.

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These two Sanders supporters yelled "Bernie or bust!"

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This was one of Sanders' biggest rallies, next to a historic rally in Seattle that attracted more than 34,000 people.